2026-01-02
💸
Finance & Investments
Interior Department alleges $8.8M in unpaid rent and incomplete capital improvements.
National Links Trust disputes default, citing $8.5M invested and approved offsets.
Action allows Trump to personally redevelop the East Potomac Golf Links property.
Boston secures $13M for infrastructure and $34M in projected ticket revenue over 15 years.
The 20-year Everett agreement includes $37.5M for a public park and transit upgrades.
The 43-acre power plant site requires environmental cleanup and state permits before building starts.
The Hurricanes secured $6M for reaching the semifinals, totaling $14M in accumulated prize money.
New success incentives adopted in May 2023 award this revenue directly to performing schools.
Miami also retains a separate $3M stipend per round for travel expenses.
The firm invests in Baller League and Professional Fighters League (PFL) for digital-native engagement.
Investment strategy prioritizes visionary founders and local cultural fit over rapid, undifferentiated global scaling.
Its 2026 outlook targets high-tempo formats with heavy creator involvement rather than traditional broadcasts.
📺
Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
The entire holiday slate averaged 22.9 million viewers, a 5% decline from last year.
Broncos-Chiefs drew 21.06 million on Amazon Prime Video, a record for its Thursday package.
Netflix’s Cowboys-Commanders matchup fell 17% year-over-year to average 19.9 million viewers.
World Cup projected to surpass 4.56M average viewership record set by ESPN in 2014.
Paris Olympics rebounded to 30.6M average, suggesting strong carryover for Milan-Cortina Games.
NFL expected to sell international rights after Brazil game drew over 19M global viewers.
DAZN seeks lower team fees but promises better payouts than free TV competitors.
The entire deal faces cancellation if more than 10 of the 29 teams leave.
Operations will shut down in 2026 if the sale does not close this January.
🏆
Teams & Leagues
The league adds seven schools to reach nine total members, including eight for football.
New broadcast agreements secure national coverage on CBS, The CW, and Versant’s USA Sports.
Member schools retain access to the College Football Playoff and automatic NCAA Tournament bids.
Wicket now powers biometric entry for over 50 pro teams across leagues including the NBA.
The entire NFL uses the technology to secure playing fields, locker rooms, and press boxes.
U.S. voter support for facial recognition hit 48% in August, driven by millennial acceptance.
🎁
Miscellaneous
Rival Kalshi set betting volume records Christmas week as sportsbooks released prediction market apps.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) authorized re-entry in September after a three-year ban.
The platform missed the 2025 NFL regular season despite August ads promising fall access.
If you have any comments or feedback, just respond to this email!
Was this email forwarded to you? Then sign up here to receive the Daily Playbook in your inbox every weekday.